Safety pressure detonator bomb



. May 24, 1949.

R. E. MITTON SAFETY PRESSURE DETONATOR BOMB Filed Aug. 18, 1944 .w/fi

INVENTOR Patented May 24, 1949 ATENT OFFICE SAFETY PRESSURE DETONATOR BOMB Robert E. Mitten, Lemon Grove, Calif.

Application August 18, 1944, Serial No. 550,063

I 2 Claims.

One. object of the invention is to provide a positive and simplified means to detonate hand grenades, bombs, torpedoes and other explosive charges by the force of impact instantly when such devices contact an objective against which they may be thrown.

Another object is to provide means to prevent the accidental explosion of such devices during shipment or while being handled prior to or during' actual use.

A further object is to provide means to produce such devices contrived in a manner to render them safe to handle for variable lengths of elapsed time after the safety pin has been withdrawn, in which no time element begins to run to the peril of the user under such condition and. in which effective means is provided to explode the weapon instantly after it has been thrown, obviating the possibility that it may be thrown back.

The said objects are attained by the device to be hereinafter described and explained by reference to the drawing which shows one adaptation of the device.

In the drawing, Figures 1, 3 and 4 are offset sections of the casing walls on line 2-2.

Figure 2 is a section of said walls on line li. Other parts are shown in the respective views as external in place elevations and sections which will be hereinafter designated and referred to.

Each part is represented in each of the several views and designated by similar numerals: a frangible tube forming a sealing partition 5 com structed of blown glass or other suitable fragile material, is mounted in a small reservoir 6 formed by the top casing I. The said frangible tube is hermetically sealed into the member 3 as shown and arranged to form a communication passage through the member 8 when the frangible tube partition 5 is broken.

A check valve 9 is provided in casing I forming an opening into reservoir 6 through which may be passed compressed air, gas or other expansive fluid pressure or chemicals capable of producing such pressure as required.

A sealing washer or gasket Ii] is shown between the member 8 and the top casing l. The bottom case I i, into which the top case is screwed as shown, forms a container I2 into which the explosive charge is loaded. A fragile diaphragm l3 made of thin rubber or other suitable material is mounted as shown between the top casing and the bottom casing II.

A slidable detonator pin it is secured to the said diaphragm by a screw as shown.

A removable safety pin I5 is slidably mounted in a lateral hole intersecting the bore in which the detonator pin I4 is mounted in a slightly ofiset position as illustrated. The said detonator pin is provided with a main and auxiliary annular groove, the main annular groove is designated l6 and the auxiliary groove H.

A cotter key I8 is provided to normally hold said safety pin in position.

A plug I 9 is mounted in the bottom case M concentrically with the detonator pin formed in a manner to carry a fuse and firing cap at a position designated by the numeral 20.

The slidable detonator pin 14 may be provided with suitable expansion rings, preferably of rubber as shown in order to seal the piston action of the said firing pin against leakage, but more particularly to create a slight amount of friction between the detonator pin and the wall of the .1 bore in which it slides, to prevent the movement of said pin except when actuated by positive fluid pressure.

Figures 1 and 2 show the frangible tube 5 in section, while Figures 3 and 4 show it as external views of fragmentary parts.

All figures show the firing pin, diaphragm screw, and expanding rubber rings as external elevations of these parts in place.

Figures 1 and 4 show the safety pin in place as an external elevation of same.

Figure 2 shows the safety pin in section through main annular groove it.

Figure 3 shows the safety pin removed and approximate position of parts at the instant of detonation.

Figure 4 shows the firing pin being prevented from detonating the cap 20 because the safety pin is in the way and also that the safety pin cannot be withdrawn because the firing pin is in the Way.

The operation of the device is actuated by fluid pressure stored or created in the reservoir 6 surrounding the fragile tube 5.

In use, the safety pin I5 is withdrawn and thereafter the device may be safely held for any length of time until it is thrown against an objective. The impact detonates the charge at the instant of impact against the objective by breaking the frangible tube 5 as shown in Figure 3, permitting the pressure in the reservoir 6 to pass through the neck of the broken tube and propelling the detonator pin by fluid pressure into the firing cap after breaking the restraining diaphragm l3 as illustrated.

In the event the frangible tube 5 becomes broken during shipment or at any other time when the safety pin has not been fully removed, the fluid propelled firing pin will be stopped short of the firing cap by the safety pin and by projecting into a part of the annular groove in said safety pin will effectively prevent its subsequent withdrawal.

The auxiliary annular groove I! in the safety p is ro id d as an. add al safeguard agains the possibility that. the frangible :tube 5 might be accidentally broken after the safety pin [5 has been partially removed, in which case the firing pin would engage and lock the pin by entering the annular auxiliary glQQVe I! before the safety pin could be completely removed.

The rubber expanding rings are provided on the firing pin piston 5 primarily toprevent the movement of said firing pin out of its locking position before the bomb has been disassembled or the firing cap 20 removed.

It is-noteworthy that the principle of 7 operation disclosed herein wouldbe safer than other types of detonators in many different. respects and especially through the elimination of 'the neeessity of the user to aceuratelyestimate the passage of a minute interval of elapsed time, particularly when utilized by-a-multitude of individuals, each possessed of diflerent judgement and temperamental qualifications, to=be-used during moments of danger and cqnsequentextreme mental stress.

Having thus described-and illustrated my invention, I desire tosecure-by Letters Patent and claim:

1. In adeviee of the elassdescribed, a chambercontaining fluid-underpressure, a frangible member sealing an-opening= from said chamber, a cylinder connected with said-opening, a firing pin carried by a-piston slidable in'sai'd cylinder, 2. detonator positioned to be Struck by said-firing pinwhen said; frangible member is broken and saidfluid acts upon said piston to move said firing pin into contact with said detonatoixa cross bore intercepting said cylinder between said firing pin and said detonator, a removable safety pin positioned in said bore to prevent said firing pin from striking said detonator, a reduced portion on said safety pin Where said pin crosses said cylinder whereby premature breaking of said frangible member will drive said firing pin into said portion and prevent removal of said safety pin.

2 n a evice of e class descr bed. a casin a chamber in said asing contain n flu d u d pressure, a frangible member sealing an opening from said chamber, a cylinder in said casing connected with said opening, a firing pin carried by a piston lidable in said cylinder, a frangible member attached to said casing and said piston to hold said piston in a fixed position, a detonator positioned to bestruck by said firing pin when REFERENCES. I- GITED Th ioliowing reierenc r 'o r gard in' h file o h a ent:

Number Name Date 1,309,773 Newell July 15,1919

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,973 GreatjBritain Mar.-'6, i919 

